Leh: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, today underscored the urgent need for robust solid and liquid waste management systems in strategically sensitive and ecologically fragile zones of the Karakoram and Changthang Wildlife Sanctuaries.
Chairing the 14th meeting of the State Board for Wildlife at the LG Secretariat, the Lt Governor reviewed and cleared 16 projects of the Indian Army, Power Development Department (PDD) and BRO located within the two sanctuaries. He reiterated that while defence preparedness and infrastructure development are vital for national security in Ladakh’s frontier region, they must be pursued with uncompromising adherence to environmental safeguards.
The Lt Governor stressed full compliance with directives issued by the Department of Forest, Ecology & Environment to ensure that construction or operational activities do not disturb local biodiversity. Approval for all projects was granted subject to mandatory implementation of the guidelines and recommendations contained in the Biological Impact Assessment Report, which evaluates both positive and adverse effects on Ladakh’s fragile high-altitude ecosystems.
He also highlighted the binding Supreme Court directions from M.K. Ranjitsinh vs Union of India, requiring installation of bird-flight diverters, cable insulation and collision-prevention mechanisms across new infrastructure to minimise risks to avifauna.
The Lt Governor emphasised that Ladakh’s unique biodiversity—ranging from high-altitude wetlands to habitats of globally vulnerable species—demands the highest degree of ecological responsibility from all agencies operating in protected areas. He noted that sustainable development, particularly in border regions of national strategic significance, must move in tandem with conservation imperatives to safeguard Ladakh’s natural heritage for future generations.
He directed the Army and Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to ensure establishment, upgradation and strict maintenance of waste treatment facilities, including segregation, scientific processing, and safe disposal using modern technologies. He also ordered a complete ban on dumping of leftover food or garbage outside operational complexes.
Earlier, APCCF Ladakh S. Rajesh presented an overview of recent conservation initiatives undertaken by the department, including Wildlife Week 2025 activities, International Snow Leopard Day programmes, and efforts to mitigate waste-related threats to wildlife habitats.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Dr. Pawan Kotwal; DGP Dr. S.D. Singh Jamwal; eminent wildlife expert Dr. M.K. Ranjitsinh Jhala; Administrative Secretary Rudra Goud PT; ADDC Leh Sonam Nurboo; and senior officials from the Wildlife Department, PDD, Army and BRO.
